Web Conference Reflection

Through reading the web conference notes from February 12^th, I quickly discovered that I am not the only one that has concerns about TK20 and all of the requirements for that program before graduation. I also learned valuable information regarding the LCE exam and the ILD classes, which I was unaware of the ILD class before reading this web conference. I have gained some good study resources to prepare for the LCE.  I feel that somewhere along the way we should have been made more aware of the proper usage and expectations of TK20, because now I realize I am not the only one who has had some confusion. There are many of us, even looking at other web conferences as well; it is always a topic of conversation.

Technology Action Plan

Action Plan for Technology
Goal: Increase the amount of technology that is being used across the campus, which will in turn prepare students for their future endeavors in a society that has an ever evolving technology base.
Integration and Implementation of technology	Person Responsible	Principal’s    Role	Professional Development	Evaluation
Students in grades three through five will be using the science program Gizmos to increase engagement and higher level thinking in the area of science.	Third through fifth grade teachers will be responsible for developing a schedule for students to engage in the program.	Support the teachers in developing the plan for implementing the program.	Third through fifth grade teachers will participate in a professional development course to better understand the program in order to support students.	Data will be gathered from testing results before the implementation of the program and then after six weeks use to see if any progress has occurred.
Adding additional wireless technology across the campus. (laptop carts for each grade level)	Technology liaison for the campus will be responsible for keeping track of the progress of the addition provided by the district.	Aid in finding the necessary funds for the addition of the laptop carts.	Teachers will be brought into a professional development that will give direction on how to add programs, instruct students on proper usage, and how to maintain the laptop carts.	Data will be gathered from various teachers and instructional  programs that are used on the laptops to check for additional usage on the programs.
Analyze STaR chart data that is received each year.	Technology liaison for the campus will receive the data and meet with the administrations to analyze it.	Meet with technology liaison to decide what action should be taken in the professional develop-ment.	Data will be presented at the professional development and teachers will be shown strategies to improve the areas that were lacking.	The areas that needed improvement will be assessed quarterly, as opposed to waiting an entire year for results.

Texas STaR Chart

<div style="width:425px" id="__ss_11359332"> <strong style="display:block;margin:12px 0 4px"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/lauren0613/the-texas-s-ta-r-chart-11359332" title="The texas s ta r chart" target="_blank">The texas s ta r chart</a></strong> <iframe src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/11359332" width="425" height="355" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="padding:5px 0 12px"> View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/" target="_blank">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/lauren0613" target="_blank">lauren0613</a> </div> </div>

Texas Long Range Plan for Technology: Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning through technology is a valuable tool for creating experiences. Technology can also be used to aid in differentiated instruction through distance education.  This way a student can work with students across the state that have the same experiences and are on the same level, as opposed to everyone in one classroom doing all of the same work. Technology and distance education can help ensure that students are graduating and being properly prepared for their future careers. Many learners that use technology can be learning on a level that is appropriate and of their interest.

Challenges in teaching and learning include curriculum alignment, more time and opportunities for teachers to instruct with technology and for students to have hands on time with it. There is also the lack of time in the instructional day for students to be doing these things along with all of the other curricular requirements of the state.

 Progress includes schools across the state gaining access to more technology resources to be used in teaching and learning. Teachers are implementing technology into their classrooms more frequently. Students have more opportunities to grow as learners and increase the rate of graduation across the state, therefore helping students be more prepared for their careers.

 Recommendations would be to have checkpoints before grade eight for teachers to get an idea of what areas that students need improvement and get them on track.  Instituting a state wide initiative would get everyone on the same track and provide all students with the same opportunities.

Draft Action Research Plan Progress Report

Targeting Motivators in Minority Males to Improve Repeated Behaviors Seen in the Classroom

            A need for improvement was noticed when dissecting data presented at a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports meeting. When looking at the data it was noted that there were several students of the same ethnicity and gender repeatedly receiving office referrals due to the same behaviors. Of the overall office referrals for the months of August through March of the 2010-2011 school years, forty five percent were from the same group of minority male students. Of the male students eight are of the African American ethnicity and seven are of the Hispanic ethnicity. The behaviors that were recorded by the teacher on the office referral were as follows: repeated refusal, language used against a student or faculty member, repeated breaking of classroom rules. Several students were also simultaneously receiving bus referrals as well.

            When looking at the data collected from the months of August through March of the 2010-2011 school years, there is a change that needs to occur. Interventions and specified motivators need to be put in place for these male minority students, so that they can be able to achieve the most success possible on their individual levels. A plan will be put in place to collect data, interview specific students, put interventions into place, look at resulting data, and make a decision based on the data on how to implement the successful interventions for all African American and Hispanic male students.

            Although I could not locate a recent article, I did find research done in Orange County, California that validates the action research that I am conducting. The research done was based on the lack of interest in learning seen in African American and Hispanic male students. The study lists issues seen in the curriculum, school leadership issues, and motivational issues seen within the students. All of the issues listed above have suggested best practices and resources available for each.       

           The vision was communicated to teachers, paraprofessionals, and administration through a staff meeting. They were given the details of the action research and how the plan was going to be carried out. Parents, students, and community members were going to be told of the research after it has been completed so that specific data can be included in a meaningful manner. Once the project has been completed and the data has been compiled, they will be notified during a Title I night, and through the school newsletter.

           Most of the project’s responsibility was held by me. There was data e-mailed to me by the assistant principal, however there weren’t any other materials needed. I chose the students that were the “repeat offenders”, spoke with their teachers about times to interview them, and did the interviewing through the course of two weeks. I used my planning time, which matched to the students recess time, to meet with the students and discuss their motivators and their behaviors that have been recorded. I was sure to not interrupt their learning by pulling them from class at inopportune times. Their learning comes first, especially with this set of students.

            A timeline was followed that was developed at the beginning of the project. I received the data and analyzed it, to aid in choosing the students that would be interviewed. I met with the teachers of the students and decided upon the best days and times to interview them during their recess time. I then developed a list of questions to ask all students, to keep the data from being skewed. There were a few students who did not want to communicate at first, but after some casual conversation for them to feel more comfortable they opened up and started answering the questions.

              This action research project will serve the needs of all male minority students within this campus and surrounding areas. Many of the schools in surrounding areas are struggling with the same issues seen on my campus, therefore they could benefit from seeing the results of this action research project. By finding the root of the behaviors and finding motivators and interventions to aid in correcting those behaviors, the students and teachers, both, can focus more on the learning that should be going on in the classroom and not so much on the negative behaviors.

                                                                     

References

Strategies for improving instruction for black and hispanic male students. (2008, June). Retrieved from https://www.ocps.net/cs/services/initiatives/Documents/Strategies Document.pdf

Action Research Plan

Action Planning
Goal: Find the root problems behind the behaviors of minority male students and target motivators that would encourage these behaviors to change.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Retrieve data from office referrals to target the minority males that have re-occurring behavioral issues.	Lauren Fair get data from Mary Dawn Murr.	April 1, 2011	Data from office referrals for minority males.	Identify the students who have the re-occurring behaviors and set up interviews with them.
Interview students that were identified with the re-occurring behavior issues.	Lauren Fair	April 6, 2011-April 8, 2011	Students, set of predetermined questions	Review the data received from the interview to determine what the issues may be that are causing these behaviors.
Develop a list of motivators and interventions to try based on the interviews	Lauren Fair	April 8, 2011-April 10, 2011	Interview results	Look at interview data and come up with motivators and interventions that may work for these students.
Implement the motivators and interventions.	Lauren Fair, classroom teachers of students.	April 18, 2011- May 18, 2011	Motivators and Interventions in place in the classroom.	After a few weeks see if the students’ behaviors are improving, staying the same, or declining.

Always a Learner

After watching the interview with Dr. Timothy Chargois I really understood why action research is so important to education. He said that "a teacher should always be learning...if you are green you're growing, if you're brown you're dying". Action research is a great way to always be learning. Each year will always present new problems within a campus or a classroom. By doing action research a teacher or administrator will constantly be learning and changing things in a positive way.